CENTERBURG — They were mostly older guys, out to re-enact their youth, plowing ground with their older antique tractors. The day of plowing was Saturday, on a farm on Ball Road, also known as County Line Road, north of Centerburg. The event brought out about 15 tractor owners to turn over the sod in a big clover field.

Harold Cochran, who farms the land, organized the gathering, which included tractors from before and after World War II.

There was some kidding among the owners of different models of tractors. There were several Allis-Chalmers tractors; Cochran owns a 1957 WD 45 with much-faded paint. There were a couple of John Deere’s, a couple of big Internationals and a 1957 Oliver 77.

As can happen to older machinery, the Oliver’s radiator sprung a leak and went back on the truck. Owner Phil Robertson explained the big Oliver was running great until Robertson saw the water temperature gauge go high. That’s when he found the leak.

Centerburg resident Wilbur Buxton brought his neatly restored 1948 small John Deere Model M. He took some kidding because the tractor will pull only one plow. By contrast, Jim Sherman’s 1955 Allis-Chalmers pulls a five-bottom plow without effort.

A 50-degree wind had the men bundled up and getting on with the plowing. This was the second loosely organized plowing day. The day included lunch — barbecue beef and baked beans to warm the body. And the bottom line? Cochran got a lot of acres plowed at no charge.